Past and Present

This morning's status:

I have a status meeting at work in an hour. I'll be packed up by then and ready to roll right after the phone call.

Yesterday at lunchtime I braved the brutal streets of Jackson and rode downtown, past the governor's mansion, the Capitol, and to the Supreme Court building. I parked across the street and went lunch at Two Sisters' Kitchen. It's a buffet setup in an old house. Nice surroundings and great food. Collard greens! I love those and they're hard to find in L.A. - at least, the part of L.A. that I live in.

Rain is forecast for today. It's been very light rain so far. I'm going to extend my distance a little in order to go to Selma. No, I haven't seen the movie. But I am going to go stand at that bridge and do some thinking.

After that, I'm headed to Montevallo, where my daughter attends the university. I just want to see the place. She'll be there, but she'll be in finals, so I'll ride on ahead to Wilsonville, where she lives with her mom.

And that will be the target destination. Everything after that, further explorations or the return to L.A., is open at this point. Stay tuned.

This evening's status:

I dragged myself across Mississippi on U.S. 80; bad pavement, bad drivers, and not much pretty countryside until I got far east of Jackson. I don't often photograph road signs, but this one west of Meridian got my attention.

East of Meridian I crossed the Alabama state line and suddenly the road was wonderful. Smooth pavement, higher speed limits, better scenery. Got to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and spent some time there just as the rain, which had been threatening all day, began to fall gently.

I rode north to Montevallo. Once out of town, it was a rainy but lovely ride through low wooded hills. The university was small but nicely laid out. My daughter took her car as I followed and we traveled northeast to her mom's house on a lake, a dammed portion of the Coosa River. Very nice setup.

My mileage is 29,316. I traveled 3,449 miles from L.A. to this house. I kept my vow of no freeways, but now I'm free to do as I please.

I now have a replacement camera for my smashed Canon and more photos should be forthcoming. Tomorrow? Looks like rain in the morning, so maybe an indoor activity. Like a brewery. :)